


Young

by AngelynMoon



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dubious Consent, Gen, Helpful Tony Stark, M/M, Possibly Unrequited Love, Post-Avengers (2012), Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, They all live in the Tower, Tired Steve Rogers, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:55:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25644661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelynMoon/pseuds/AngelynMoon
Summary: Tony catches Steve asleep and has a few realizations.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Possibly unrequited Steve Rogers/Tony Stark - Relationship, Steve Rogers & Tony Stark
Comments: 4
Kudos: 45





	Young

**Author's Note:**

> Set after the first Avengers movie in a world where they all live in the Former Stark Tower and are sort of like a found family but still mostly in development.
> 
> As always if you think a tag is missing let me know because even though I tried to get them all I might have missed something.
> 
> There might be some dubious consent in this because Steve says somethings while thinking Tony is someone else but Tony doesn't take advantage of Steve but I tagged it to be safe.

Tony had never noticed before, perhaps it was because he rarely saw Steve asleep, really, deeply asleep like he was now.

The mission had been long, exhausting but there had still been debriefing for which Steve had volunteered to go to alone because even Natasha and Thor had been falling asleep on the way back.

Tony hadn't given much thought to whether Steve had been just as tired, he certainly hadn't looked it, but then he never did, not really.

Steve must have been more tired than he showed if he had fallen asleep while writing up his report, a half eaten slice of pizza next to him on the floor as if he'd fallen asleep mid bite.

Tony hummed as he made up his coffee, he'd gotten his three hours of solid sleep and now he was wide awake.

But instead of heading to his lab like he should, instead of waking Steve and sending him to his bed, Tony found himself studying Steve.

Tony didn't really get the chance to just look at the man, either Steve was in the middle of something or Tony was late for a meeting or they were suiting up to save the world and saving the world didn't really allow moments to study teammates.

Tony leaned on the counter and sipped his coffee.

Steve looked different asleep, he looked, Tony frowned, he looked young.

Young in a way none of the others did, even Natasha who was closest to Steve in actual age didn't look so young, her sharp features seeming to make her look dangerous even in sleep, not that she wasn't.

But Steve, Steve looked soft, vulnerable. He almost looked like a child if you focused on his face.

Tony shifted uncomfortably as he thought about the files S.H.I.E.L.D. had on them.

Steve might look young but he'd fought in a War, a World War.

Tony looked at Steve's face, unlined with it's usual worry and defensiveness, a hard shell thrown up against the strange new world he'd been thrown into.

And Tony found himself wondering just how many other young people Steve had watched die in the War, how many had he heard crying out for their parents because they were so young?

How many did Steve think he should have saved?

Suddenly, a lot of things about Steve fell into place, his willingness to throw himself into danger but not them, never them. How he never let them see him like this, always the first up, making breakfast and always the last to bed, checking on them at the end of each mission.

Tony had hated it, probably still would but...

Steve had lost his best friend on a mission, he'd died completing a mission.

Tony studied Steve's face, soft and innocent, vulnerable and young.

He looked so young, Tony thought.

Maybe he could suffer through post mission check ups.

Tony finished his coffee and stared at Steve before sighing.

Gently, so as not to startle Steve too much, Tony nudged him.

"Steve." Tony called softly.

"Hmm?" Steve murmured as he blinked slowly awake, "What is it, Bucky?"

Tony hesitated, he should tell Steve that he wasn't Barnes, but Steve looked so sleepy, so vulnerable that Tony couldn't bring himself to wake him up by telling him that.

Instead Tony gently guided Steve out of his chair.

"Time for bed, buddy, no good sleeping in a chair, it's not good for your back." Tony said, hoping Steve wouldn't realize he wasn't Barnes.

Tony guided Steve down to his floor, the man leaning on him almost too much for Tony to handle.

Eventually, Tony got Steve onto his bed, sitting him down and kneeling to help him out of his shoes.

Steve set a hand on the back of Tony's head, the touch strangely intimate and Tony froze, half wondering if Steve knew he wasn't Barnes or if he still thought Tony was Barnes.

But Steve just rested his hand there.

"Not tonight, Steve, you're too tired." Tony found himself saying, too tired to know who Tony was.

"Not too tired if you want something, Bucky." Steve murmured and Tony looked up to see Steve's eyes more closed than open.

"Not tonight, you're already half asleep." Tony said as all his preconceived notions about Steve went out the window.

Gently, like Barnes must have done a lifetime ago, Tony lifted Steve's legs onto the bed, tucking the blankets around him.

"Mmm, you always take care of me, Bucky." Steve murmured, eyes closed, "Love you."

"Yeah." Tony said softly as he pushed some hair out of his face, part of him wanted to say it back, the part of him that still had a little crush on Captain America but Tony couldn't say it, not when Steve thought he was Barnes, it wouldn't be right.

Tony rose to leave the room.

"Where you going, Bucky? Come to bed." Steve slurred as he caught Tony's wrist.

"I got a few things I gotta do before coming to bed." Tony lied.

Steve squinted at him and Tony wondered if the jig was up, if Steve recognized him as Tony and not Barnes.

"I'll be back before you miss me." Tony told him, forcing a grin and trying to sound cocky instead of sad, because Barnes was gone, hopefully Steve would just think this was a dream and never mention it.

"M'kay." Steve hummed as he settled back, releasing Tony's hand.

Tony took a few more steps away from the bed but couldn't help staring at the sleeping man for a moment longer.

He looked so young.

Too young to have lost so much.

Tony scrubbed a hand down his face before his eyes fell on Steve again, tucked up in bed, waiting for a man who'd never join him.

He looked so young.

\---  
A/n: can you believe that i initially intended for this to be a Steve/Tony fic? But then Steve was like 'noo, Bucky' and so there you have it. This might have a bit of a pining Tony vibe but I don't know.

Like i've said in some of my other stories Tony/Steve isn't my preferred pairing for Steve but I was going to try and then Bucky/Steve happened because Steve was tired.

Yes, Steve probably knows it was Tony once he wakes up the next morning but he doesn't say anything because he's kind of thankful that Tony let him believe that Bucky was alive even for just a few moments, that and he's not sure how to bring it up without embarrassing Tony.


End file.
